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Peter Thomson (left). UN Photo/Evan Schneider A UN conference held this week has raised the bar on global awareness about the state of the planet's oceans. That's the assessment of

The 51�Թ� Development Programme to appoint globally-acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Cody Simpson to inaugural role during the UN's first ever Ocean Conference. Photo: UNDP The new

Esther Vidale of Nature Seekers with a leatherback turtle who has just laid her eggs on Matura Beach in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. Conserving marine resources takes centre stage this week at the first-ever

Photo: UNESCO The lack of scientific data on the oceans is a key missed opportunity for development and a potential threat to the planet, the UN said on Thursday. Launched at The

A school of Moorish Idols cruise over the coral reef, Ha'apai, Tonga. Photo: UNEP GRID Arendal/Glenn Edney The historic UN Ocean...

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the 51�Թ�, with Jocelyne Sambira and Dianne Penn. In today's programme … The UN is celebrating World Oceans Day on the margins of a historic conference seeking to save the "Earth's blue...

Hippopotamus. Photo: Nick Nichols/NGSGabon to create vast network of protected marine areas in Africa Gabon has announced a bold new initiative to conserve the "incredible natural treasures" of its coastal waters, Lee White, the Director of Gabon's...

Mirella von Lindenfels, INC Communications Director at the 51�Թ� Oceans conference in New York on 7 June 2017for #OneLess Campaign. Photo/UN News/ JSambira A growing movement aimed at getting Londoners to stop using...

UN Agencies collect ocean trash, including plastics and flip-flops at a beach clean-up in Malindi, Kenya. Photo: UNIC Nairobi To mark the UN Ocean Conference, one...

John Scanlon. Photo: CITES The illegal trade in marine species is one of the major issues that needs to be under the spotlight at the UN Ocean Conference this week. That's...

Savana,14 (left), and Kathryn, 19, from Trinidad and Tobago encourage girls to try out sailing. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. Two accomplished teenage sailors from the Caribbean are calling for stronger laws against dumping litter in the...

Hippopotamus. Photo: Nick Nichols/NGS Gabon has announced a bold new initiative to conserve the "incredible natural treasures" of its coastal waters, Lee White, the Director of Gabon's National Parks confirmed on Tuesday. Speaking on the margins of the...

Douglas McCauley.UN News/Matthew Wells Decisions made at this week's UN Ocean Conference could chart the future for the next thousand years of ocean change. That's...

Juan Miguel Diez, Director of the UN Information Centre (UNIC) for the Caribbean Area. Photo: UN News/Dianne Penn. A global conference on protecting oceans and marine resources is "a dream come true" for the Caribbean, according...

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the 51�Թ�, with Matthew Wells and Jocelyne Sambira. In today's programme: the UN chief calls on countries to put aside short-term gain, and bring the ocean back from the brink of...

UN Secretary-General participates at the Cultural Opening: Fijian Traditional Welcome Kava Ceremony. UN Photo/Mark Garten UN Member States need to "put aside short-term national gain" in order to protect the ocean, which...

Juan Miguel Diez, Director of the UN Information Centre (UNIC) for the Caribbean Area. Photo: UN News/Dianne Penn. An upcoming global conference on protecting oceans and marine resources is "a dream come true" for the Caribbean...

Julio Orozco, Director of Sustainable Tourism for the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. The ocean is the "main player" in Caribbean tourism and this "fragile resource" must be protected. That's the...

By absorbing much of the added heat trapped by atmospheric greenhouse gases, the oceans are delaying some of the impacts of climate change. Photo: WMO/Olga Khoroshunova Countries are expected to underline their commitment to protect marine...

Suzan Lakhan Baptiste of Nature Seekers in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. A woman who was once called crazy for protecting sea turtles from poachers has helped to make her community a model for marine...

Peter Thomson. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Tackling challenges such as marine pollution and dwindling fish stocks will top the global agenda next week when Heads of State, civil society representatives and the private sector convene at UN...

Neila Bobb Prescott, Chief Technical Advisor for the GEF-Funded Project on Improving Forest and Protective Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. Civil society groups, government agencies and local...

Rissa Edoo of the UN Development Programme in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao. Small funding investments in conservation groups in Trinidad and Tobago have made a big difference in protecting coastal areas and marine life...

Suzan Lakhan Baptiste (right) of Nature Seekers helps measure a leatherback turtle on Matura Beach, Trinidad and Tobago. Photo: UN News/Lulu Gao An environmental group based in Trinidad and Tobago that has received UN...

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from the 51�Թ�, with Jocelyne Sambira and Matthew Wells. In today’s programme: the Paris climate agreement is expected to continue, despite US withdrawal; and the first-ever Ocean Conference opens...

Sylvia Earle, perhaps the world's best known woman marine scientist, literally fell head over heels in love with the ocean as a little girl. She will be one of the special guests attending the UN Ocean Conference in early June, but ahead of that major event to help repair and sustain the blue heart of the Earth, she came to UN Headquarters to talk to Matthew Wells for our podcast series, The Lid Is On.

To kick-off a whole week of action devoted to the high seas in June at UN Headquarters, the organization will be joining forces with New York City in hosting the World Ocean Festival. Tuesday's announcement was made at a press briefing, with the President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, saying that the upcoming Ocean Conference would be all about finding human solutions to the degradation of marine life and its environment.